Buying Real Estate Rental Property – Best Investment Strategies

More and more people are choosing to buy rental property as a lucrative way of receiving passive income, with many opportunities for further investments, massive profits, and a life of luxury and opulence. There is much to consider and research before you make any investment in rental property, but you’re likely going to be quickly looking at cash flow and a realtor lifestyle you could only have dreamed of.

Is Buying a House to Rent a Good Investment? Advantages Disadvantages of Rental Property

There is not one clear answer to whether buying rental property is a good investment. It depends on many factors such as location, the behavior of the market, the tenants, unexpected costs, etc. Therefore it is impossible to say whether it is a good investment for you until you inform yourself as best as you can, and make an educated decision.

Advantages of Rental Property Investments – Tax Deductions, Financial Security

Being a landlord often sounds like a dream job. Essentially you’re being paid because people are living somewhere. It is the most famous and infamous source of passive income. This is perhaps its biggest advantage. In terms of how much work you have to put in per dollar earned, it can be extremely lucrative. Another advantage is that the real estate market tends to be quite stable, which means that the majority of properties (bought in good areas) increase in value. That means, while you’re making a passive income, one day the mortgage will be paid, and despite having made money off of your investment, you can sell it at a higher price than you bought it!

Rental Property Taxes – What Taxes do Landlords Pay?

For one, rental income is not subject to social security taxes. The social security tax rate is currently 12,4% split by employer and employee, meaning that when owning rental property you are paying 6,2% less taxes.

Disadvantages of Rental Property Investment – Difficult Tenants

The biggest downside is dealing with difficult tenants. These can be those that are harmful for the atmosphere (e.g. by being loud), those that damage property (high repair costs), and those that do not pay their rent on time. Another downside is also that you are legally bound quite heavily, as renters are strongly protected by the law. That means that difficulties can arise, and cause a lot of stress. Of course it’s important to decide in what real estate to invest, because if you buy a house, these issues tend to be less serious.

• Damaging Tenants
• Tenants who do not Pay Rent

What does a Landlord Do? Tasks, Responsibilities when Owning Rental Property

In short, a landlord is in charge of general upkeep. That means repairs in the house such as plumbing or electricity which the landlord has to fix. Other things include maintaining the more general facilites. For example, if you own rental property you have to make sure common areas are cleaned, the doors, elevator, etc. all work, and more. Then comes the problem of rent. Some tenants can be quite a hassle when they don’t pay rent on time, in which case you have to contact them and collect the rent yourself.

• Repairs in home
• Maintenance of Property
• Collecting Rent

Financial Planning for Becoming a Landlord

That means paying off all debts, making sure you have enough saved up for a downpayment, and securing your finances for the long-term future. It is also probably a good idea to secure a separate business account.

• Save enough for a Downpayment
• Job Security

Six Steps to Purchasing Rental Property – Buy House, Apartment

The five steps to owning rental property begins with your finances. Next, research and strategy. Where do you want to invest, how is the market in that area, what type of real estate you want to invest in, the general turn of the economy and much more! Now your strategy with short-term vs long-term rentals, buying a house or apartment, etc. Step 4 is finding the property you want to purchase. Step 5 means buying the property (and getting a good deal!). And lastly, perhaps most difficult, find tenants!

1. Order your Finances
2. Research
3. Strategy and Investment Planning
4. Find the Property
5. Purchase Property
6. Find Tenants

Step 1: Order your Finances – Landlord Bank Account, Savings

The most important thing before buying a house or buying an apartment is to get your finances in order. That means having paid off all debts, or nearly all, having a good credit score (otherwise get ready for mortgage insurance). Then, you will want to open a separate account. This can of course be done by registering a real estate LLC in which case you would buy the property over the company. Otherwise you will have to open a new account.

Step 2: Research – Where to Buy, When to Buy Rental Property

This is an important step, as you will need to get a lay of the land of where you want to invest and how. There is no universal manual because, e.g. if you buy a house in New York, it’s different than if you buy an apartment and then even more different if you buy an apartment in L.A. It’s also critical to know about the more specific location, there are always up-and-coming neighborhoods in every city. The top USA real estate neighborhoods are spread out all over, and you could be living near one without knowing! We’ve tracked down the best locations for the biggest players in American real estate:

• Top Neighborhoods: New York
• Top Neighborhoods: Los Angeles
• Top Neighborhoods: San Francisco
• Top Neighborhoods: Miami
• Top Neighborhoods: Las Vegas

Step 3: Strategy, Investment Planning – ROI, Value

The typical question for real estate and rental property investment is the ROI. ROI means return on investment, which is typically expressed in a percentage. It just tells you how much money you make in proportion to how much money you spend. You should know that, unlike stocks, or REITs, rental property will not be valuable or a good investment because it is constantly rising in value. Rather it is an additional income on the side, apart from your normal investments.

• ROI = Return on Investment
• Real estate is about cash flow

Step 4: Find the Property – House Hunting, Realtors

Next step is to find property, this can turn out to be quite difficult or quite easy depending on the region. Typically this is also the point where you will decide whether you choose a fixer-upper or a ready house. For experienced investors this is a normal thought, but if you are just starting out, a fixer-upper can be extremely risky and bankrupt you. Unless of course you want to get into flipping houses.

• Fix-Up or ready house?

Step 5: Purchase Property – Mortgage, Cash, Downpayment

Of course with a cash purchase you can circumvent a lot of the additional real estate purchase costs, but not all (think mortgage tax and transfer tax, and moving expenses). Still, as soon as you purchase with a mortgage you will be paying more in the form of mortgage interest. There are different opinions on the specifics, but it is always important that even if you are absolutely in love with a house, to let cooler heads prevail. There are many reasons to buy a house for rental property, but these are all related to finances and strategy.

• Real Estate Closing Costs
• Logic should decide whether you buy

To learn more about what happens when you get to the point of actually buying a house, you can take a look at our article on all the taxes you will pay when you buy a property or real estate.

Real Estate Purchase: All Taxes

Step 6: Find Tenants – Advertising, Location

This is the point that it can get very very frustrating, or very comfortable. If you’re living in a place like L.A., this can be quite easy with very high demand making a good tenant easy to find. In other places you may have to wait for the right one. Important though, if you get the feeling that the fit isn’t right, don’t sign a contract! It is near impossible to force a tenant out legally, and one more month without the extra income won’t make the difference.

• Don’t rush the search
• Easier in bigger cities, with higher demand

Top 5 Tips for Buying Rental Property! LLC, Saving Taxes

There are many things to be aware of, and things to take into account for buying rental property for real estate investment. It’s important that you research a lot so as to make a smart decision. Still, there are a few secret tips that are very important to ensure quick profit from rental property!

1. Do the Math!
2. Landlord Insurance
3. Found a Company
4. Buy or Finance?
5. Go out of State

Do the Math! Research, Calculation of Costs for Rentals

This is critical. Of course, before investing in rental property the most important thing is extensive and intensive research. This does not only consist of informing yourself about e.g. mortgage or mortgage interest, and a downpayment. The main question is: for each dollar that you invest in this real estate rental investment, how much will you get back. Factor in the time, and then compare to your finances. It is possible that your investment strategy only offers returns after two years. Can you hold out that long?

For each dollar you invest, how much will you gain? When is your investment profitable?

Get Landlord Insurance! Recover Lost Rental Income, Liability Protection

There are going to be accidents, unwanted injuries and more on your property. You need to protect yourself from this. One possibility is with a limited liability company or the similar s corporation (see below), but this is not going to protect you legally, rather than just make sure that a legal action does not bankrupt you. So you have to get landlord insurance! A landlord insurance covers lost rental income (great for the rare difficult tenant), damage to the property, and of course, as mentioned liability protection against injuries or worse on your property. Remember, itemizing insurance costs is one of the top methods of real estate tax deductions!

• Protection against lost rental income
• Damage to property
• Liability for injuries on property

Found a Company – LLC, S Corp or C Corp

As mentioned above, it’s important to protect yourself from possible liabilities. Even with landlord insurance, you should likely put in the effort and cost to found a real estate entity which owns the buildings in your place. The main examples are the LLC, S corporation, C corporation, and Limited Partnership. These all differ in the degree to which they protect you from liability, but also to the degree in which they prevent double taxation, a common problem with other real estate investment entities.

• LLC
• S Corp
• C Corp
• Limited Partnership

Buy or Finance? Mortgage or Cash for Rental Investments

You will hear many voices insuring you that the only smart choice for buying a rental property is to finance it, in other words to buy it using a mortgage. This is true in most cases, but if you have the money available, buying cash can be even better. No mortgage interest, no uncertainty, and you profit right away. Of course you’ll be a few thousand dollars lighter, bt this comes in with rental income over time. It’s also seemingly forgotten at times that a house purchased with a mortgage still requires a substantial downpayment, as well as significant additional costs buying real estate, which means even with a mortgage, where, e.g. a 20-year plan can hound you for years, you have some saving to do before starting to invest and reap profits.

• Buy with mortgage
• Consider alternative cash options

Go out-of-state! Rental Investments Far away – Is it Profitable?

Many first-time investors make the decision to buy close to home. They hear a great offer for a house nearby in an up-and-coming neighborhood and choose to buy because it’s just a few minutes drive away. It’s true of course that this has its advantages; if a renter has an issue or a repair, you can come by quickly and fix it, you can give personal house tours with no problems, etc. At the same time, it’s a calculation game. There are extremely profitable neighborhoods in many parts of the country. Buying a rental there can give you much larger profits in much shorter time. These profits would offer the possibility of a property manager, reduces your involvement and makes the now-larger income even more passive.

• Advantages to buying nearby
• Far away can be much more profitable

Gross Rental Income – Top Tip for Saving Taxes

Easily explained: rental income is taxed as your normal income would be taxed. That means you add it to your salary as you would a normal job. Rental income can include the following types of payments: Advance payments of rent, non-returned deposits, services provided in exchange of rental income. Now we know what the income consists of, but the question is how can you pay less of it?

What can be Deducted from Rental Income? Itemizing Tips

You can deduct more than you think from your rental income. That includes things like the mortgage interest of your property, the insurance costs and property taxes. Along with these it is also typically possible to deduct fees such as those for advertising your properties, and those for legal assistance and for the Homeowner’s Association.

• Depreciation
• Property Manager Payments
• Mortgage Interest
• Insurance Costs
• Property Taxes
• Advertisement Fees
• HOA / Condo Fees
• Legal and Professional Fees

There’s so many more tax deductions you can use when you own real estate, whether as residence or as a landlord!

Real Estate Tax Deductions

Best Gross Rental Income Deduction! Depreciation

The most important concept here is depreciation. Depreciation is the answer to every time you wondered why real estate moguls and landlords pay so few taxes. Large items bought for business purposes can be deducted from your taxes, but not all at once. That means e.g. a property worth $250.000 which is deducted from taxes over a 27,5 year period, leads to a reduction in your taxable income of

$250.000 / 27,5 y = $9.090

per year! Add that to all the other possible real estate tax deductions, and many owners pay no taxes on their rental income!

Der Beitrag How to Buy Rental Property – Becoming a Landlord, Investment and Purchase Tips erschien zuerst auf ℄ Real Estates.

Capital Gains Tax – Detailed Guide and Simple Explanation

This is the basic basic guide you could hope to find on capital gains taxes. Capital gains taxes are incredibly important to understand on your way to extending your portfolio, improving returns, and minimizing your tax expenditure beyond income tax. Capital gains tax are often confused for dividends tax, but this common misconception is one of the many basic steps in this simple explanation guide. First, we go through what capital gains even are, and then continue on to how capital gains are taxed. Capital gains taxes also form one half of the two types of dividends taxes!

Capital Gains Explained – Investment Basics

Capital gains sounds like the best and most confusing financial term you could come up with. It has connotations of wall street and Gordon Gekko, villas in the Hamptons, and invetment portfolios worth millions. Let us take you on the journey of capital gains (and capital losses), and what you need to know about them. You may come in contact with capital gains taxes as part of the dividends you receive, from mutual funds, or from other forms of finances or investment strategies and portfolios.

Capital Gains Definition: What is Capital Gains Income?

By definition, a capital gain is when capital becomes more valuable. This capital is capital asset, and most typically in the form of stocks. Usually the capital gains or losses occur when selling an asset (such as stock in a company). A capital asset, i.e. the thing gaining in value, is also often called a security. Capital assets can occur in the form of stocks, funds, real estate investments, or any number of investment portfolios

• A capital asset which has increased in value since purchase

What are Examples of Capital Gains? How Capital Gains work

Let’s take the example of a real estate investment. You buy an apartment in New York for $300.000. It was in a particularly up-and-coming neighborhood, and now five years later it’s worth $400.000. At this point it is an unrealized capital gain of $100.000. If you decide to sell this apartment, and you get your asking price of $400.000, you will have made $100.000. This is your realized capital gain.

$400.000 – $300.000 = +$100.000 Capital

Now let’s say you decided to invest in a neighborhood which did not fare so well over the years. Suddenly your apartment did not increase in value to $400.000, but rather decreased in value to $250.000. Then you will have unrealized capital loss. If you decide to sell this apartment (perhaps to avoid further depreciation in value), you will have a realized capital loss of $50.000.

$250.000 – $300.000 = -$50.000 Capital

What Counts as Capital? Capital Asset Definition – Dividends, Stocks, Co

To understand what a capital gain really is, it is important to understand what things count as capital themselves, what is the thing gaining in value when we speak of capital gain. Looking at regulations, capital assets are defined as a piece of property which has significant value. That means a quilt given to you by your grandma for free, which you sell for $15, is not a capital gain. Still, capital assets are more far reaching than most people often think: it’s not just related to stocks, but it’s also relevant to dividends, mutual funds, and more. These are all types of capital assets:

• Property, e.g. real estate
• Jewelry, Collectibles, or Art
• Stocks
• Bonds
• Investment Properties

What is the Difference Between Realized Capital Gains and Unrealized Capital Gains? Paper Gains, Paper Losses

Capital gain is, as defined above, just an increase in the value of an asset. This increase in value can occur any time of course, and usually happens a tiny bit every day. A capital gain can therefore occur anytime, but if the asset’s owner were to never sell, then this increase in value would be irrelevant. This type of increase in value, where the owner does not sell, but if he were to sell, he would sell it for a higher price than he bought it, is called unrealized capital gain or paper gain. The increase in the assets value is not transferred to real in-pocket-money, and rather only occurs on paper. A realized capital gain is when the owner ‘cashes out’ and sells his assets for more money than purchased.

• Realized gain is when asset increases in value and is sold
• Unrealized gain (or paper gain) is when the asset is not sold, but would incur capital gain if sold

What Types of Capital Gains are There? Short-Term, Long-Term

Typically you differentiate between short-term and long-term capital gain or loss. As mentioned above, when you own capital it typically changes in value. If you hang on to this capital for less than a year before realizing your gain (i.e. before selling), it is a ‘short-term capital gain’. If, on the other hand, you have owned this capital for longer than a year when you sell it, it qualifies as a ‘long-term capital gain’. These distinctions are quite important because they decide how the profit you make from your investment is taxed.

• Short-term capital gain is when you sell after owning the capital for less than a year
• Long-term capital gain is when you sell after owning the capital for more than a year

How is the Value of Capital Calculated? Details, Explanation, Example

Some capital assets are more straightforward to calculate than other. For example, buying 10 stocks at 30$ a share is quite simple to calculate because the total value of the capital is at 10 x $30 = $300. Other capital assets are much more complex. Take for a example a property, where the land is worth $30.000, and the land owner also builds a dock with a boat. Now the total construction of the dock cost $50.000, and the boat cost $20.000, but the transport of the materials for the dock cost $8.000 and for the boat an extra $2.000. That means the current value of the items is at

$50.000 + $20.000 = $70.000

Yet, when looking at the value of capital such as this, all costs are factored in, which means that for example transportation costs would also be included, leading to a total capital value of

$70.000 + ($8.000 + $2.000) = $80.000

This example demonstrates that the value of capital is desided by all costs (including e.g. insurance costs) in the acquisiton of the asset. In the eyes of the IRS, these are also called capital expenses. By the way, if this scenario took place in Florida, there would be the addition of the documentary stamp tax (Florida’s version of the real estate transfer tax), one of the real estate purchase taxes, and the owner would have to pay the state of Florida property taxes.

What is a Capital Gain Tax? Rates, Long- and Short-Term, More

So we’ve gotten to the heart of what capital gains and losses are, how they are categorized and how to calculate them. Only thing left now is to understand how to tax them. This is probably easier than you imagine, but harder than it should be

Capital Gains Tax Definition: What is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you make with investment in capital assets. If you buy stocks and sell them for more money than you bought them, you have made profit (i.e. capital gains), and this extra money that you are receiving is taxed. If you sell capital for more than you bought it, you will necessarily, by law, pay capital gains tax.

• Tax on investments which gained value, e.g. stocks that grew

Capital Gains Tax Example Calculation – How Capital Gains Tax Works, Formula

So, let’s say you are filing your taxes. For the past two years you have held some stock in a great company, but now are looking to buy a new car. You sell your stocks for $10.000 more than you bought them for. That means you have realized capital gains of $10.000. Because you held these for longer than a year, you will be taxed at the capital gains tax rate. Also, because you are not married and do not have a partner, you are filing single. For a single filing, below $40.000, there is a 0% tax rate. Great! So on this capital gain you will pay no taxes!

$10.000 x 0 = $0

Now, what if you held on to the same stocks for another year, and then decide to sell them. In this time they gained so much in value that you realize a capital gain of $60.000! Now you will be in a higher tax bracket, that means that you will have to pay some taxes. For capital gains tax rates (see the full details below), the second bracket starts at $40.000 in capital gains. That means you will have to pay 15% tax on the $20.000 which exceed $40.000

($40.000 x 0) + ($20.000 x .15) = $3.000

That means you will have to pay $3.000 in capital gains taxes from your $60.000 realized capital gain.

Are Short-Term Capital Gains Taxed Separately from Income? How Capital Gains Taxes Work

Although, it is important to distinguish taxes on capital gains and capital gains taxes. The capital gains tax only applies to long-term capital assets (i.e. owned for longer than a year), while short-term capital assets are taxed as if they were normal income, at the income tax rate like the salary you receive from work. Capital gains tax rates are lower than income tax rates!

• Short-term capital gains are taxed using income tax rate
• Long-term capital gains are taxed less with capital gains tax rate

When do you Have to Pay Capital Gains Tax?

This is a good question. If you hang on to good stock for 20 years you will continually be becoming more and more wealthy, yet are not paying taxes… right? Yes! You pay taxes on capital gain when this gain is realized. This is what’s called a ‘taxable event’. That means when the event (i.e. selling your capital) occurs, you pay taxes. If you never sell your capital, you won’t have to pay taxes on it! Your tax bill is never affected by unrealized capital gains or losses.

Do you have to Pay Tax on Capital Losses?

No! You do not have to pay taxes on capital losses, because you are not making any money. Quite the opposite, you can deduct capital losses from your tax bill. This is one of the most important ways to reduce your taxes. More on that below.

• You do not have to pay tax on capital losses
• You can deduct capital losses from your tax bill

Capital Gains Tax Rates – USA

The USA has a federal capital gains tax, but also many states have their own capital gains tax rates. That means you have multiple stops that your capital gains will be taxed at.

USA – Federal Capital Gains Tax Rates List, Brackets

For the federal level, your capital gains are taxed at the following rates if you are filing single

• 0% tax: <$40.000
• 15% tax: $40.001 – $441.450
• 20% tax: >$441.450

How much is Capital Gains Tax in New York? Rates, Brackets, List

The state of New York has no free-standing capital gains tax rate. Here, long-term and short-term capital gains are equally taxed using the state’s income tax rate. Just like New York property tax rates, the income tax rates are relatively high, but see for yourself. In New York capital gains are taxed at these rates:

• 4% tax: $0–$8.500
• 4,5% tax: $8.501–$11.700
• 5,25% tax: $11.701–$13.900
• 5,9% tax: $13.901–$21.400
• 6,33% tax: $21.401–$80.650
• 6,57% tax: $80.651–215.400
• 6,85% tax: $215.401–$1.077.550
• 8,82% tax: $1.077.551 +

How much is Capital Gains Tax in California? Rates, Brackets, List

Just like the state of New York, California also has no free-standing capital gains tax rate. Here, long-term and short-term capital gains are equally taxed using the state’s income tax rate. California income tax rates are also quite high, thanks its mega metropolises Los Angeles and San Francisco housing some of the biggest companies in the world. In California capital gains are taxed at these rates:

• 1% tax: $0-$8.809
• 2% tax: $8.809.00-$20.883.00
• 4% tax: $20.883-$32.960
• 6% tax: $32.960.00-$45.753
• 8% tax: $45.753-$57.824
• 9,30% tax: $57.824-$295.373
• 10,30% tax: $295.373-$354.445
• 11,30% tax: $354.445-$590.742
• 12,30% tax: $590.742-$1.000.000
• 13,30% tax: $1.000.000 +

How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax – Saving Money with Deductions

If you are receiving dividends, you probably want to pay as little as possible in taxes. Giving away money that you have invested and worked for seems harsh. Better to structure your taxes better and save money. Maybe not save money from your dividends taxes, but just give less away.

Best Trick for Real Estate: How do I Avoid Capital Gains Tax on Property?

You pay no federal taxes on qualified dividends when your total income is below $39.375! That means if your income is higher, suddenly you have to pay more taxes, and will end up with less money in your pocket in the end. In this case you could actually save money by just working less so as to avoid reaching the point where you have to pay the dividends or capital gains taxes. Remember: This only applies to the federal capital gains taxes.

• No capital gains tax when income is below $39.375

Looking for more ways to save on your tax bill, check out our top tips!

Real Estate Tax Deductions

Tax Deductions for Companies! Capital Expense Deductions

Important in the topic of capital gains, are the fact that acquiring capital assets is incentivized by the state. That means that if you are clever enough to form an LLC or an S corp, you can write off big purchases such as machinery, property, or other items which can count as capital assets. Remember though! Most expenses have to be written off over time, if you buy a car for your business, you cannot deduct the full price of your tax bill in one go.

• Capital expenses can be deducted from tax bill

How to Save Taxes with Capital Losses – What to do when Capital Loses Value

If your investment has lost value, it may hurt at first. This is normal though, and isn’t as bad as you first thought perhaps. This is because you can deduct capital losses from your tax bill. That means you pay less taxes because your investment did not turn out well! Only one catch, while you have to pay taxes on capital gains for all types of assets (e.g. even jewelry), you can only deduct capital losses when you bought your asset for investment purposes. For example stocks, property, etc. are all purely investment, and therefore can be deducted when losing in value.

• Deduct capital loss from tax bill
• Only possible for assets purchased for investment

How to Offset Capital Losses – Capital Gains Tax Explanation, Example

If you have made a significant capital gain in a year, but also capital losses (which, let’s be honest is quite common and to be expected), then you can write off the capital losses. For example, if you have made $200.000 in capital gains over some particularly lucrative stock, but have also made $100.000 in losses from a particularly poisonous investment, then you only need to pay taxes on the $100.000 of profit you made on the first. This is why it is called offsetting, because you offset some of the gain you make with the losses.

• Reduce your capital gain by the amount you lost through your capital losses

Tax Special! Income Tax

To learn about dividends tax means to learn about income tax as we’ve learned. That’s not a problem though because we have a simple guide for learning about income tax for the very beginners. It is a simple explanation of everything you need to know about paying income tax, how to tax income and everything in between. Income tax is something that will follow you forever, so it’s best to get to know it now and forever hold peace with it.

USA Income Tax

Tax Special! Dividends Tax

Dividends tax also utilize capital gains taxes! Although dividends also carry their whole own addition of complications and confusions. We’ve writtena nother helpful and simple guide to learn everything you need to know about dividends taxes, how they work, when they occur, and of course also how to save money on your dividends taxes. No doubt you’re going to learn something very important in this article.

Dividends taxes are taxes on the dividends which you receive as a shareholder in a company. What are dividends? In a sense they are like the company sharing part of their income with you, as a reward and incentive of being a shareholder in their company.

USA Dividends Tax

Tax Special! Property Tax

As mentioned, taxes on property are nearly as complicated as on income or capital. Property taxes, where they are taxed, what they tax, and how to pay less property taxes, can all be found in our all-encompassing guide on property taxes.

Property tax is often confused as being a tax on real estate property. Yet this is a misconception. The largest proportion of property taxes come from real estate, because this is the most expensive property most people own. Yet property taxes can also be levied on airplanes, computers, furniture, etc. In the U.S., each person pays an average of $1.617 in property taxes a year. The state which pays the most property taxes is New Hampshire with $3.307.

USA Property Taxes

Der Beitrag Capital Gains Taxes USA – Simple Explanation, Definition, Rates, How-to Save Money erschien zuerst auf ℄ Real Estates.

Dividends Tax – Detailed Guide and Simple Explanation

This is the basic basic guide you could hope to find. We take you through dividends tax from the very beginning to the very end, covering everything you could hope to learn about this form of tax, from income tax or capital gains, tax deductions, and more. Although usually reserved for tax collectors and your accountant, it’s good to know exactly what this is, how much it is, and how to to reduce it. Even if you’re not having to pay dividends tax at the moment, it’s good to get read up on it in the meantime.

Dividends Explained – Investment Basics

So, dividends. That’s what’s being taxed, and to understand how this tax works, we first take a look at how dividends work. More specifically, what are dividends?

Dividend Definition: What is a Dividend

A dividend is by definition number that’s divided by another number. In the context of finances, a dividend is the pay-out of the company’s earnings to its shareholders. There are two basic ways for shareholders of a company to make money, either by selling their shares, or because the company grows and pays out dividends to its shareholders.

• A dividend is what a company pays out to its shareholders when it makes profit
• Like a reward for investing

What is a Dividend Example? How Dividends Work

Consider you decide to invest in a company, for example you invest 500 shares. This company does quite well and over the next quarter they earn heavily. They then decide to pay out dividends. Because they did so well, they decide to pay out $0,50 per share. You own 500 shares, and that means

500 x $0,50 = $250

You receive $250. You do not have to sell your shares, and nothing changes about your shareholding in the company, it is merely a thank you, or a form of reward for holding shares and the company making earnings.

What are the Types of Dividends?

There are 5 basic types of dividends. They are: cash dividends, stock dividends, property dividends, scrip dividendss, and liquidating dividends. In the example above, we are dealing with a cash dividend. These are the most popular and frequent types of dividends. Next, stock dividends. These are where a company rewards a shareholder not with cash, but rather with more stocks. That means that the shareholder did realize an increase in capital, but not in the form of money, but rather in the form of owning more of the company. A property dividend is when you receive an object or any form of property as a dividend (e.g. a new sports car). A scrip dividend can be imagined as an I O U, and is typically done when companies do not have enough liquid assets. A liquidating dividend is when the company is dissolved and shareholders receive their investment.

• Cash Dividend
• Stock Dividend
• Property Dividend
• Scrip Dividend
• Liquidating Dividend

What is a Qualified Dividend? Difference Ordinary, Qualified Dividends

Especially when considering dividends taxes it is important to consider whether a dividend is qualified or unqualified (called ordinary). An ordinary dividend is taxed much higher than a qualified dividend, because ordinary dividends are taxed as income, while qualified dividends are taxed at the capital gains tax rate. So what’s the structural difference between these two types of dividends? The company behind them is either qualified or not.

• Qualified dividends are taxed at a lower rate!

When can Dividends be Qualified? Types of Companies

Whether a company’s dividends can become qualified depends on the origin of the company (i.e. American or not), the type of stock (e.g. REITs are not qualified), and the holding period. That means that the dividends can only be taxed at the lower capital gains tax rate when these requirements are fulfilled.

• Companies must fulfill requirements to become qualified

What is a Dividend Tax? Rates, Qualification, More

Now we know that a dividend is really just a form of payment from a company in which you have invested. You receive payment because the company grows and you are a shareholder within the company. Now it also makes sense that this is being taxed. Since you are making money, it is in a sense a form of income. But it’s slightly more complicated than that

Dividends Tax Definition: What is Dividends Tax?

Dividends tax is the tax on income made in the form of dividends. This is quite self-explanatory. Dividends are always taxed and there is no way around it. Even if you immediately invest all your dividends back into the same company, you will have to pay taxes on the dividends paid out to you. Dividends taxes themselves don’t actually exist, as they are either income taxes or capital gains taxes. It just depends on whether you have qualified dividends (taxed as capital gains) or ordinary dividends (taxed as income).

• Can be taxed as income or as capital gains
• Depends on qualification of dividends

To our article on Capital Gains Taxes: Capital Gains Taxes USA

To our article on Income Taxes: Income Taxes USA

Dividends Tax Example Calculation – How Dividends Tax Works, Formula

As mentioned before, dividends taxes are either income tax or capital gains tax. Either way we will give an example here. Take an income of $8.000 in a year for a unqualified dividend. This falls under the first tax bracket (when filing as a single) in the income tax brackets. That means you will pay 4% tax on this.

$8.000 – ($8.000 x 0.04) = $7.680

That means in the end you receive $7.680, and $320 you give away as part of your dividends tax.

What is Dividends Tax Rate? Tax Brackets, Rates

Depending on the type of dividend you have, you will pay different dividend tax rates. In short, the government taxes dividends either as capital gains or as income. There are two types of dividends, qualified (taxed as capital gains) and unqualified (taxed as income, see below for more). Therefore the tax rate of dividends tax is either the tax rate for your income tax or capital gains tax.

• Dividends tax rate is the same as either capital gains or income tax rates!
• Depends on whether a dividend is qualified

For tax brackets for unqualified dividends check out our article on

Income Tax USA

How to Save Money on Dividends Tax – Deductions, Itemizing

If you are receiving dividends, you probably want to pay as little as possible in taxes. Giving away money that you have invested and worked for seems harsh. Better to structure your taxes better and save money. Maybe not save money from your dividends taxes, but just give less away.

Best Trick: Save Dividends Tax with Income

You pay no federal taxes on qualified dividends when your total income is below $39.375! That means if your income is higher, suddenly you have to pay more taxes, and will end up with less money in your pocket in the end. In this case you could actually save money by just working less so as to avoid reaching the point where you have to pay the dividends or capital gains taxes. Remember: This only applies to the federal capital gains taxes.

• No capital gains tax when income is below $39.375

Tax Deductions of Wealthy Families: Gifts!

Using what is called the annual gift tax exclusion, it is possible for wealthy families to keep money within the family instead of going to the state. The parents give their (adult) children very highly appreciated shares of stocks which pay dividends. This way, the unrealized gain is passed on, without triggering the deferred taxes! This works because the children will most likely not be as high earners, and therefore the dividends will be tax free under the capital gains tax.

• Pass on appreciated dividends-paying stocks to children whose income is not too high

Use Capital Gains Tax Tricks!

Capital gains taxes are possibly the most lucrative for tax deductions and reducing your tax bill at the end of the year. There are many ways in which you can use dividends taxes on qualified dividends to reduce your tax bill, because they are capital gains taxes!

• Capital Gains Taxes USA

Transform into Real Estate!

Everyone knows real estate is a lucrative business, even more so thanks to the countless tax incentives. So maybe instead using dividends for income, it is better to transform them into real estate property using a real estate LLC. Read more about real estate tax tricks:

• Real Estate Tax Deductions

Tax Special! Income Tax

To learn about dividends tax means to learn about income tax as we’ve learned. That’s not a problem though because we have a simple guide for learning about income tax for the very beginners. It is a simple explanation of everything you need to know about paying income tax, how to tax income and everything in between. Income tax is something that will follow you forever, so it’s best to get to know it now and forever hold peace with it.

Income Tax USA

Tax Special! Capital Gains Tax

Capital gains tax is one of the two sisters of dividends taxes. It is a vital tax to know if you want to invest, and plan on increasing value of capital. Capital gains taxes are among the most important for the welathy, and for good reason. Knowing how to use these to your advantage is critical for multiplying your wealth.

Capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you make with investment in capital assets. If you buy stocks and sell them for more money than you bought them, you have made profit (i.e. capital gains), and this extra money that you are receiving is taxed. If you sell capital for more than you bought it, you will necessarily, by law, pay capital gains tax. Although, it is important to distinguish taxes on capital gains and capital gains taxes. The capital gains tax only applies to long-term capital assets (i.e. owned for longer than a year), while short-term capital assets are taxed as if they were normal income, at the income tax rate like the salary you receive from work. Capital gains tax rates are lower than income tax rates!

USA Capital Gains Taxes

Tax Special! Property Tax

As mentioned, taxes on property are nearly as complicated as on income or capital. Property taxes, where they are taxed, what they tax, and how to pay less property taxes, can all be found in our all-encompassing guide on property taxes.

Property tax is often confused as being a tax on real estate property. Yet this is a misconception. The largest proportion of property taxes come from real estate, because this is the most expensive property most people own. Yet property taxes can also be levied on airplanes, computers, furniture, etc. In the U.S., each person pays an average of $1.617 in property taxes a year. The state which pays the most property taxes is New Hampshire with $3.307.

USA Property Taxes

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What are the Best Neighborhoods in USA? High Standard of Living

The USA is home to some of the biggest and most attractive cities in the world. From Miami to L.A., cities here are incomparable to anything else worldwide. There’s undreds of thouands of millionaires living in the USA, and you may be wondering where. Well, for this reason we’ve compiled the biggest, best, most expensive, and luxurious real estate locations in all of USA for you. This is the definitive list of real estate investment in USA neighborhoods.

Most Expensive Neighborhoods – What is the Richest Suburb in America?

No surprise, the richest suburb in the USA is Atherton, California, right next to Silicon Valley, where hundreds of ultra-wealthy CEOs live. The average house here is worth over $10 mio., and the average salary around $450.000. Thanks to it being right next door to San Francisco, the inhabitants will also find enough to do. New York is also represented on the list, as well as Miami, and Boston. Perhaps surprisingly, Wilson, WY is also in the top 10. Alongside it, Glenbrook NV which may owe its position to the fact that Nevada has no income tax. Check out the full list with the median house price below:

1. Atherton, California – $10.194.000
2. Los Altos, California – $6.326.000
3. Tribeca, New York – $5.137.000
4. Medina, Washington – $4.894.000.
5. Fisher Island, Miami – $3.707.000
6. Glenbrook, Nevada – $3.225.342
7. Beacon Hill, Boston – $3.155.000
8. Woods Hole, Massachusetts – $3.154.000
9. Snowmass, Colorado – $3.031.000
10. Wilson, Wyoming – $2.798.000

Miami Best Neighborhoods for Real Estate – Coral Gables, Indian Creek Island, Co

Miami Vice, CSI: Miami, there are seemingly hundreds of TV shows and movies set in this legendary city. Thanks to its uniquely attractive climate, along with ultra-expensive real estate, you’re likely going to be looking at a life of vacation in this Florida metropolis.

If you’re looking at buying property in Miami, you’re going to want to know exactly which neighborhood you are going to be lookinng at. It is important to invest in the right areas to avoid a depreciating property haunting you. Below is our suggestion on the best neighborhoods in Miami to invest in real estate:

1. Downtown Miami
2. Coral Gables
3. Little Haiti
4. Bayshore
5. Pinecrest
6. Coconut Grove

Of course if you want to really go for the big time, and move to one of the richest neighborhoods in USA, you can also head for Fisher Island or Indian Creek. Here you can expect to pay over $10.000.000 for an average house! Check out the full article on Miami neighborhoods below!

Miami – Best Neighborhoods

Los Angeles Best Neighborhoods for Real Estate – Bel Air, Culver City, Co

Los Angeles is famous for its vancant lots, its relaxed atmosphere and legendary suburbs. Buying a house in L.A. was for some time a pleasure, with Culver City, Echo Park, and similar communities being home to affordable real estate and desirable living. Nowadays though you’ll likely have to settle for less.

Los Angeles real estate investment requires a good strong look at the neighborhoods. We’ve analyzed the data and come up with our suggestions for buying real estate in Los Angeles. Below is the definitive list of best LA neighborhoods for property investment:

1. Culver City
2. Silver Lake
3. Glendale
4. Monrovia
5. North Hollywood
6. Highland Park
7. Venice Beach

These are probably the best neighborhoods if you’re thinking about investing in real estate. For a full rundown of where to invest, and how to invest in LA, take a look at our article which tells you all the most important facts about L.A. real estate investment.

Los Angeles – Best Neighborhoods

NYC Best Neighborhoods for Real Estate – TriBeCa, Upper East Side, Co

There are a lot of really expensive places in New York. In fact it is one of the most popular places for the super rich. If you’ve walked along the streets in TriBeCa or Chelsea, you will not be surprised that these areas count to some of the most exclusive, luxurious neighborhoods in the whole country.

For New York real estate investment we must go beyond TriBeCa and Manhattan though. Williamsburg, Flatbush, are great places if you want to buy an apartment in New York, and in the Hamptons you’ll have no problem buying a house in NY. all places where a good deal will take you far. Below is the definitive list of best NY neighborhoods for property investment:

1. East Village
2. SoHo
3. Park Slope
4. Williamsburg
5. Greenwich Village
6. Chelsea
7. TriBeCa

These are probably the best neighborhoods if you’re thinking about investing in real estate. For a full rundown of where to invest, and how to invest in NYC, take a look at our article which tells you all the most important facts about NY real estate investment.

New York – Best Neighborhoods

San Francisco Best Neighborhoods for Real Estate – Haight/Ashbury, SoMa, Co

San Francisco is where the hippie movement began, where Facebook, Apple, Google, and pretty much every other tech startup call home, and is also home to some of the most expensive suburbs in the world. Of course not everywhere is expensive here, and if you want to invest smartly, you will not invest only in the areas that are already in. One positive, California property tax is quite low compared to other states!

If you’re looking at buying property in San Francisco, you’re going to want to know exactly which neighborhood you are going to be looking at. It is important to invest in the right areas to avoid a foul investment. Below is our suggestion on the best neighborhoods in Miami to invest in real estate:

1. SoMa
2. Union Square
3. Sunset District
4. Nob Hill
5. Haight/Ashbury
6. Pacific Heights

These are probably the best neighborhoods if you’re thinking about investing in real estate. For a full rundown of where to invest, and how to invest in San Francisco, take a look at our article which tells you all the most important facts about San Francisco real estate investment.

San Francisco- Best Neighborhoods

Las Vegas Best Neighborhoods for Real Estate – Bel Air, Culver City, Co

Las Vegas is the city of sin, and its real estate market may at times feel like that. The market here can be complex and scary, but not to worry because we are experts. One advantage of living in Las Vegas: Nevada is one of the states with no income tax.

Las Vegas is perhaps best known for the strip, and while it’s certainly not a bad idea to invest here, there are many places you only find out about if you’ve lived in the area. There are hundreds of gated communities around it though, and Summerlin and Henderson are the suburban millionaires dream areas. Check out our list of the best neighborhoods for property investment:

1. Whitney Ranch
2. The Strip
3. Arts District
4. University Districct
5. Summerlin
6. Rancho Charleston

These are probably the best neighborhoods if you’re thinking about investing in real estate. For a full rundown of where to invest, and how to invest in LV, and the things you absolutely need to look out for, our article can help. Check out

Las Vegas – Best Neighborhoods

How to Invest in Real Estate USA – Most Important Facts

If you’re wondering about where to invest in the USA, look no further. Big players like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles are analyed above, to explain in detail the state of real estate, an analysis of the current real estate market in USA, broken down, in simple words.

Real Estate Forms – Types of Property Investment

There are many different types of real estate (whether commercial, industrial, residential), but also different types of residential real estate, such as condos, apartments, houses, and the list goes on on and on. There are a few to concentrate on, and for sake of space, we won’t go into too much detail here. The most important types are house, apartment, townhouse, and condo. Check out our article if you want to learn more about types of real estate investment.

• Apartment
• House
• Condo
• Townhouse

What Real Estate Corporations are There? Sole Proprietor, S Corp, LLC, etc.

If you’re going to invest in real estate, you will want to reduce real estate taxes, and reduce liability. This is important so that you do not become involved in a costly legal battle which can cost you your livelihood. Forming a company which rents and owns your property means that the company is liable, and not you. If you want to do real proper investment, and would rather avoid legal issues and unnecessary taxing, these forms of corporations are for you:

• LLC
• Limited Partnership
• General Partnership
• S Corporation
• C Corporation
• Multiple Entities
• REIT

Taxes – Real Estate Taxes Explanation

Taxes are almost universally hated. On top of the fact that it a person has to give away some of their own money, it is also incredibly confusing which makes it all the more frustrating to deal with. Thankfully, that second part can be helped with our easy explanations on the topics.

Property Taxes – What are Property Taxes?

Property taxes are taxes you pay to the state in return for owning real estate. This can be in the form of a house, or of a piece of land, and in some states you can even pay property taxes on your boat or computer.

• Illinois Property Tax – 2.05%
• New York Property Tax – 1.40%
• Florida Property Tax – 0.94%
• Washington Property Tax – 0.92%
• California Property Tax – 0.74%
• Hawaii Property Tax – 0.30%

Property taxes are typically calculated by multiplying a certain rate (e.g. in Washington: 0,92% = 0,0092) by the value of your property (e.g. $1.000.000), which results in your property tax:

0,0092 x $1.000.000 = $9.200

For a full list of property tax rates by state, check out our article

• Property Taxes Explained, Ranked by State

Buying Real Estate Taxes – Transfer Tax, Mortgage Tax, Etc.

There are 3 taxes when buying real estate. These three are real estate transfer tax, the mortgage tax, and property taxes, which you must pay pro-rata. In fact these are just few of the costs which will be approaching you when buying real estate! There are also the infamous closing costs, which can cost incredible sums.

• Transfer Tax
• Mortgage Tax
• Property Tax (Pro-Rata)

Are you looking to save money on the taxes you have to pay in relation to your real estate. Then you should take a look at the many

Real Estate Tax Deductions

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General Partnership: Formation, Advantages and Disadvantages

Many people want to go into business with a partner. This has many advantages over working alone. You have someone to carry you through struggles, and someone to turn to for decision-making. There’s also the fact though that you have someone who is interfering with the decisions that you would like to make. This can be hard to handle, but can be worth it. In the following we show you what a general partnership is, its advantages, how it is formed, and much more.

Definition and Basics: What does a General Partnership Mean?

The official definition, according to the state of California is “a form of business entity in which two or more co-owners engage in business for profit”. In practice it means two individuals share liability, profits, and losses from real estate investments. Important: this form of doing business is unincorporated, meaning that it is not separate from the people doing the business. It also has, by definition, more than one owner.

• A form of business entity in which two or more co-owners engage in business for profit

Forming a General Partnership: Business Name, Licenses, Agreements, etc.

In forming a general partnership, the first step is to choose a business name for the partnership. This is important, as you need to make sure that the name is not taken by another company or partnership. To do this you search your local district’s registry, the state secretary’s and so it does not infringe on a trademark or service mark the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Register of Trademarks and Service Marks. Next, you draft and sign a well-written partnership agreement.

Next, back to the secretary of state, where you file a statement of general partnership. Many people skip this, as it is not obligatory, and you can avoid the $70 filing fee and the $15 fee. In the same step, you register the name of the partnership at the local level by obtaining a fictitious business name. Next you must set up a separate bank account for your partnership. You should try to keep your personal finances separate from your business finances. Finally you obtain the local business licenses and specialty real estate licenses (these differ between states).

Process summarized:

1. Choose a Name
2. Create a Partnership Agreement
3. File Statement of General Partnership and Register Name
4. Open a Partnership Account
5. Obtain Permits and Licenses

Documents:

• Partnership Agreement
• Statement of General Partnership

Advantages: Filing Fees, Stress and Flexibility

The first advantage is not the most significant, but perhaps important for partnershiips with limited time and finances (we do not recommend this). A general partnership is not as legally binding as other forms of business entities, and therefore is not necessary to be filed at the state level. Therefore you can skip the filing fee and hassle with the secretary of state. It is also in general a less stressful form of business, as there is less bureaucracy and it is less legally protected. Lastly, the biggest advantage of a general partnership is that it is very easy to convert to an LLC. This makes it a great stepping stone for those not ready for the total commitment of an LLC.

• No filing fee
• Less stressful
• Flexible to convert

Disadvantages: Structure, Liability and Disagreements

The main reason most people form a business is to avoid liability. This is unfortunately not the case for general partnerships which are not subject to liability protection, as they are not entities separate from their owners. An additional problem comes from the fact that general partnerships are often formed between two individuals who already know each other. Even when this is not the case, a common problem, as there are only two people in the partnership, is that owners disagree. This can lead to conflict and far-reaching issues. The lack of structure is another and the final disadvantage of general partnerships

• No liability protection
• Owners can disagree
• Lack of Structure

Real Estate General Partnership: Advice, Tips for Real Estate Partnerships

Different from other types of ownerships like C corporations or S corporations, a general partnership is considered the original partnership, and is also the least complicated. There are still a few details to keep in mind. Including how to structure a real estate partnership (whether limited or general), and the utmost importance of a partnership agreement. Lastly, we also answer the common question, if general partners are a necessary part of a partnership.

1. Structuring a Real Estate Partnership
2. Partnership Agreement
3. Does every partnership need a general partner?

Structuring a Real Estate Partnership

The structure of a real estate partnership can be a complicated thing. It is important to take your time with planning this, and making every step of it as perfect as possible. To avoid mistakes, get a primer on how to structure your partnership with the video below.

Partnership Agreement – Most Important Part of a General Partnership

When investors in a general partenrship buy a property, each general partner has an equal right to participate in the management and control of it. From a practical perspective, this means that determining how disagreements that arise in the ordinary course of business will be handled is of paramount importance. The partnership is free to designate a different method of decision-making and provide for it in writing either in the partnership agreement and/or an amendment thereto. In the partnership you will detail how decisions are made, how votes are made, and if you need e.g. a majority or unanimous vote.

The partnership agreement is make or break!

Does Every Partnership Need a Partner?

Yes. Every partnership, including limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships (not to be confused with limited liability company), need at least one general partner. This is the person that makes day-to-day decisions, and takes the brunt of liability. They also make all legally binding decisions, as it is them who are liable for any legal consequences.

• Yes, every partnership needs at least one general partner who makes day-to-day decisions

Taxes: Pass-Through Structure

There are a few benefits to taxes in tthe world of general partnerships. Firstly, general partnerships, unlike corporations, do not pay income taxes. We go in-depth on the details you need to know, below.

1. Are Partnerships Tax Exempt?
2. Do all Partners pay the Same Amount of Taxes?

Are Partnerships Tax Exempt? Tax Structure of General Partnerships

Yes. General partnerships are tax exempt. The business itself does not pay any income taxes. Rather, the general partners pay income taxes. In other words, profits, losses, etc. all pass through to the partners directly.

• No, all income and losses pass through directly to partners and are taxed as their incoome tax

Distribution – Do all Partners Pay the Same Amount of Taxes?

This can be decided by partners. Otherwise, the IRS taxes every partner equally. This can be advantageous, e.g. if you are an existing partner and a new partner joins, in which case the amount of tax reduces. If you are made a partner though, then you become owner of the partnership’s assets, and also liable for taxes.

• Partners decide whether everyone pays the same amount

General Partnership – The Original Partnership

The general partnership is the classic, the original type of partnership. It is attractive often mostly for beginners or those who are not yet certain that they will enter an LLC or the direction their business will take. It has many advantages though, and is a good decision for many who choose it.

Comparison: What is the Difference between a General Partnership and Limited Partnership

The difference between a general partnership and a limited partnership is that a general partnership consists only of general partners, all of whom carry liability. Limited partnership has additional partners who are not liable (so-called limited partners). General partnerships and limited partnerships are often misconstrued, due to the important difference between a partner and partnership. A limited partnership also has general partners.

• Limited partnerships are general partnerships with additional partners who do not carry liability (limited partners)
• General partnerships consist only of general partners

See Limited Partnerships – Real Estate

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